This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the inventions. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is prior art or what is not prior art.
The present solution for SON (Self Optimizing Network) Mobility Load Balancing is to balance the load between different eNBs (evolved Node Bs) while attempting to minimize the number of handovers. Currently, this includes only the radio load. Each eNB monitors its radio load, exchanges radio load estimates over X2, identifies the need to do load balancing and then alters handover parameters. After that, certain UEs (user equipment) are handed over from one eNB to another eNB through the X2 interface. Unbalanced load situations are detected by measuring usage of radio resources (total transmit power, interference and throughput).
Since the traffic load is balanced only by considering radio resources, there are situations in which UEs may be transferred to an eNB with much lower backhaul capacity (say multiple T1s, instead of fiber) which can result in poor overall end-to-end performance (QoE, D/DV/Jitter, etc.). Thus, new solutions that are able to improve present-day load balancing techniques would meet a need and advance wireless communications generally.
Specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below with reference to FIGS. 1-4. Both the description and the illustrations have been drafted with the intent to enhance understanding. For example, the dimensions of some of the figure elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements, and well-known elements that are beneficial or even necessary to a commercially successful implementation may not be depicted so that a less obstructed and a more clear presentation of embodiments may be achieved. In addition, although the logic flow diagrams above are described and shown with reference to specific steps performed in a specific order, some of these steps may be omitted or some of these steps may be combined, sub-divided, or reordered without departing from the scope of the claims. Thus, unless specifically indicated, the order and grouping of steps is not a limitation of other embodiments that may lie within the scope of the claims.
Simplicity and clarity in both illustration and description are sought to effectively enable a person of skill in the art to make, use, and best practice the present invention in view of what is already known in the art. One of skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific embodiments described below without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive or all-encompassing, and all such modifications to the specific embodiments described below are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.